Rupnagar Canal: Remove structures from its banks: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned of the government to dismantle within a month all illegal structures that are built encroaching upon Rupnagar canal in the capital's Mirpur area.

All the authorities concerned have been ordered to carry out the order after demarcating boundaries of the canal upon conducting a joint survey, Deputy Attorney General Tapas Kumar Biswas told The Daly Star citing the HC order.

While hearing a suo moto (voluntary) rule, the HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah also asked the government to submit a report before it after carrying out its order by February 25.

The bench issued the directive after examining survey reports submitted by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka Deputy Commissioner's office.

The DNCC in its report stated that there were several illegal structures on the sides of the Rupnagar canal. However, the DC office in its report stated that there were no illegal structure beside the canal, DAG Tapas told The Daily Star. 

Following a report published in Bangla daily Prothom Alo headlined, “Rupnagar Khal Niye Kutsit Karmokando" (Dirty deeds over Rupnagar canal), the same HC bench in October last year through the suo moto rule asked the authorities to stop activities and encroachment that are destroying the Rupnagar canal and submit a report to this effect before the court.